Thursday, January 21, 2010

said swami ji to his followers sitting on a bed and smoking cigarette. swami ji was concerned about Shri Moti Lal Mattoo his disciple. That is how the saints in valley acted as fathers and parents to their disciples . This applied equally to Muslim Peers and Murshids .I saw him in the house of Pandit Som Nath Koul Bagh at Abi Guzar srinagar .That was my Massi 's house . I believe it was perhaps 1970. Swami Hare krishna had numerous followers in jammu and srinagar .I happened to know some of his followers from Rainawari especially Pandit Moti Lal Mattoo and Pandit Shyam Lal Peer . I also happened to know his trusted devotee Qalandhar Badshaah . Swami Ji would spend his time praying in a room at Ramchandra ji Temple sathu Bar Bar shah Srinagar .He spoke little kashmiri but understood every sentence perfectly.Swami ji spoke softly and would distribute half smoked cigarettes amongst his followers ..Many Muslims too would visit him and Swami ji would ask his host to offer them tea and would also give them half smoked cigarettes. I saw him Many times in his room in Ramchandra ji Temple sathu Bar Bar shah.During winters he woud go to Jammu or to Plains of india Upon my recent visit to this temple , i also visited the room where he would sit and pray. During entire summer season , Swami ji would cover his body with just one spotless white cloth .Sometimes in October he would use a shawl to over his shoulders. His personality had a grace and aura . None could remain casual in his presence .

That was the story about Swami Hare Krishna ji who would stay at Ram Chander Ji Temple Sathu Bar Bar Shah Srinagar . I happened to know a muslim motor spare parts trader from Haroon family living near the Temple . This particular gentleman , though a muslim would also pay visits to Swami ji in the temple and seek his blessings.

The temple of Ramchandra ji at Sathu Bar Bar Shah is on a raised Platform.This temple is about 1 Km from Lal chowk and proximal to backside Gate of Sri Partap College. Srinagar It is also about 100 yards from Sathu Bar Bar Shah Bridge . The temple complex is about 10 feet above ground level.It has a Hawan or Yagya shala , a residential building , six rooms in a row , open ground , and above all a central temple dedicated to Lord Rama . A grand hawan would always be performed in this temple on Ramnavmi day . This Hawan would coincide with Spring festivals in valley .The temple was managed by Dharmarth trust jammu and kashmir .Since 2002 the gates of the temple have been opened again and a hawan is performed regularly now on Ramnavmi day.Enjoy some photographs of this temple taken by me in july 2009 . I am also adding some lines from a poem of master zinda Kaul ( 1884-1965) to end this post .Master ji as he was popularly known in kashmir, was brought up in extreme poverty . Struggling with poverty , sorrows and other pangs of existence , Master ji gave a knew direction to poetry in Kashmir . He was well versed in Persian , Urdu and Hindi .His poems like Premuk Nishaan ( Token of love ), Naa Taiyaari ( Non prepared ness ), Sanyaasi ( Sanyasi ) and KarNaavi Taarukh Na ( O boat Paddler Take me across ) are a treat to read ..Incidentally Farooq nazki's sahitya award winning book Naar Heytun Kazalwans bears the title taken from poem Naar Haa ( Beware! It is Fire ) of late Master ji .Farooq Nazki pays due tributes to master ji in the preface of his book. The lines are

Naar Heutun Kazalwanas ,

Shor Woth Bahaar Ha.

Diluss Heutun Jigar Taeteoy

Kraekh Gai Zi Naar Ha.

From study of his poems ,I could understand that master ji had great faith in the capacity of a man . He had a vision for the world .Enjoy some lines from his poem Karnaavi Taarukh Na(O boat Paddler !Take me across ) This particular poem has been published in his book Sumaran. I have attempted to translate the lines for readers of this post .

Where every one shall have work to do ,Where none would be idle,Where disease , ugliness and falsehood , shall not come in the way of development of human mind, .Where people shall have neither less nor more than what is needed ,where guns shall not blast smoke and terror , where bombs shall not rain from the sky ,where none shall be our enemy , where no armies shall fight each other .O Paddler of my boat ! Take me to that world.!( Text and Photographs By Autar Mota )

PS A Photograph of swami Hare Krishna is also uploaded for the viewers of this post .

Friday, January 15, 2010

I have already put up a detailed post on DUBS of kashmir in June 2009. while moving in srinagar city i captured some more views of DUBS of some old buildings in srinagar city . Here they are with something on renowned urdu poet jagan nath Azad.

Incidentally my mail Box goes full in two days presently . Many mails keep coming to me . My earnest desire is to attend all. these mails . Though some mails i attend individually while others are dealt through my posts. I am thankful to Dr Shakeel Meer from Nambalhar kashmir who has sent me some photographs of his grand father sufi Poet samad Mir of kashmir . Doctor sahib has also sent me a brief and additional information on this great poet . I intend to make use of it later. Dr Mir had seen the name of his grand father in one of my posts.One gentleman Surrinder Turki has written to me that Persian poet Pandit Taba Ram Turki was his ancestor . He has added to my current knowledge on this learned pandit from Rainawari kashmir .Today another reader from UK has asked to me to say a few lines on Poet Jagan Nath Azad who lived in our state for most part of his life after 1947.I am under obligation to say something on this poet today .

Professor Jagan Nath Azad was born in Mianwali District ( Now In Pakistan )on December 5, 1918.His father Trilok Chand Mehroom was a noted urdu poet .Jagan Nath Azad was MA in persian and headed the Press information Bureau of Govt of india in our state for quite some time . I saw him in his srinagar office opposite Partap Park as well as in Jammu . After retirement ,he was professor emritus of urdu in jammu University. Azad sahib was a noble to the core and always missed Mianwali and Rawalpindi .An authority on Allama Iqbal 's philosophy and poetry, Azad sahib was a widely travelled man.He was respected in India , Pakistan and middle east for his scholarly pursuits.His books have been published from Lahore , Karachi ,New Delhi and Mumbai and one from Paris .. This book from Paris is a collection of Natia poems in praise of Prophet Mohammed ( PBUH ). The book has been translated to French by Dr. Hameedullah .His books on Allama Iqbal's philosophy are a treasure for the serious reader .

Azad sahib was a close friend of Sahir , Ali Sardar Jafri , Majrooh , Ale Ahmed Suroor and many stalwarts and progressive writers of india.Azad sahib also worked in Publication Division New Delhi for some time where he came in close contact with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad , Hasrat Mohani, Dr Zakir Hussain , Jigar Moradabadi , and Josh Malihabaadi Some thing more about late Jagan nath Azad is that he wrote the first national Anthem of Pakistan. He worked in Radio and one day Qaide Azam Mohd Ali Jinnah called him to his office and requested him to write the first national anthem of Pakistan.. The request was in confirmity with the speech of 11th August 1947 wherein Quaid e Azam had said " I dream of a pakistan where Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims not in the religious sense because that is a matter of individual faith but in the political sense as the citizens of the state " Thus Azad sahib wrote

That was the first national anthem of pakistan written by a hindu and played till the death of Quaid . After the situation deteriorated in Lahore , Azad was advised by friends to leave for India . He reluctantly left his birth place . After the death of Quaid e Azam late Hafeez Jalandhari was commissioned to write the new national anthem of Pakistan.

Many times Azad sahib would say that he wanted to write a song of peace which millions in India and pakistan would jointly sing . He was the tallest votary of Indo Pak Friendship in the subcontinent.

His devotion to Allama iqbal remained unshaken throughout his life.. Azad Sahib says

This noble soul left this world on 24th July 2004. Peace be to the soul that always strived for peace in this subcontinent.His family still continues to live in jammu .I quote some lines from his poem to end this post.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Rainawari comes to my mind quite often . I can not help it . Today again , i have uploaded some photographs of this area .You can see the jogi lanker bridge photographed from Shiva temple ( Boad Mandar). I also went inside Vishwa Bharti Women's college where my immediate family members studied and photographed an inner view of this college .A view of Kraal Yaar chowk and Shiva Temple gate ( Boad Mandar ) has also been uploaded . I also want to pay my tributes to three great men of this area who have done exceptional work in their respective fields .

Pandit Keshav Bhat Jyotshi( 1873 -1946 )

This learned pandit was a profound scholar and astrologer . He lived near Jogi lanker bridge and did pioneering work in collecting , correcting and updating old texts of kashmiri Pandits and documents relating to their religious practices . He visited almost entire kashmir valley to collect some rare manuscripts .He brought out cheap and affordable books like Nitya karam Vidhi , Shiva puja , Ganesh Durga strotavali , Soundarya Lahiri , Panchastavi , karm kaand , Veda kalpadrum , Mekhala samaskara puja , Parthishewar Puja , Bhavani Sahstra Naama and many more thriough his printing press established for this purpose only at Regal chowk srinagar . After his death his elder son late Prem nath Jyotshi continued with the work started by his learned father while Pandit Tika lal Jyotshi younger son of pandit keshav Bhat worked in Broca Press lal Chowk srinagar . Pandit Shamboo Nath ( S/o Pandit Prem Nath Jyotshi ) too continued for some time with this work but the later generation abandoned the printing press and converted the premises to stationery shop( Simon Stationers ) which they ultimately sold and shifted to Jammu. Pandit keshav Bhat edited the Panchaang ( Jantri or Almamac ) for circultion amongst pandits of kashmir printed from Krishna Printing press only. . His panchaang ( jantri ) had a seal of authenticity .

Clad in Pheran with a Pulhor ( Grass shoe) in his feet ,Pandit keshav Bhat would daily go to Nunar on foot where he worked as a teacher .Incidentally two great grand children of this learned pandit namely Autar krishen and Tej krishen were my friends as they studied with me in DAV Rainawari. .

Pandit Taba Ram Turki ( 1776-1847 )

This learned pandit was a persian poet of exceptional quality . His poetry reached as far as Central Asia . He wrote under the pen name 'Betab '.Pandit Taba Ram lived in jogi lanker area . Three or four families of Turkis continued to live in this area till January 1990. Pandit taba Ram was a Personal friend of Mulla Mohd Taufiq who lived in Jamia Masjid area of srinagar city . Mulla Taufiq and Taba Ram would share ideas and poems by seeing each other or through exchange of letters .Betab also visited lahore and wrote Masanavis . He was a witness to defeat of Afghans and arrival of sikh forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore . Defeat of Azim khan the Afghan governor has been vesified by him in his Jangnama.Betab also composed Ranjit Nama and Akbar Nama .He also visited Afghanistan and met his patron Prince Mohd Akbar Khan. Gwasha lal koul eminent historian and author writes that " Jangnama of Betab stands at same footing as Shahnama of firdousi ".Reportedlysome of his Great Grand children now live in Jammu and Mumbai. Some friends amongst Turkis living in Rainawari whom i knew personally , had nothing to do with literature or fine arts . I happened to know some of them closely.

Pandit Samsar Chand koul Ganhaar ( 1883-1977 )

( Pandit Samsar Chand Koul and his wife )

This learned pandit lived close to Vaitaal Bhairava temple of Motiyaar Rainawari.Masterji as he was affectionately known in Rainawari, was a teacher in CMS school fateh kadal srinagar . Apart from being an erudite scholar , he was a bird watcher , a trekker , a historian and an authority on flowers and plants of kashmir . Masterji was a member of National Geographical society USA, Royal Geographical society canada and society of world watchers UK . He authored some exceptionally informative books on birds, flowers and plants of kashmir and ladakh. . Perhaps none was so close to Missionary teachers like Tyndale Biscoe or Eric Biscoe or or Dr Smyth Morrris as this learned pandit from Rainawari. Conseqquently he imbibed many missionary traits .Masterji taught many poor boys absolutely free . Samsar chand ji fondly known as Sama kak, was a widely traveled Man and had profound knowledge of astronomy as well. His students included Dr Naseer , late Bakshi Ghulam Mohd , Agha Ashraf Ali ( father of poet Shahid Ali ) and Prof Mohd Sultan want ( Ex HOD Department of English university of kashmir ). It is satisfying to see that almost all his grand children Particulary Surrinder Koul and Utpal koul carrying forward their illustrious Grandfather 's legacy .

He was a personal fiend of Dr Vikram Saarabhai with whom he was in regular correspondence . Viram sarabhai was also a Bird Watcher and a regular visitor to kashmir since 1940. I am informed that Master ji had also invited Gurudev Tagore to his house in Rainawari during Gurudev's visit to kashmir. About Master Ji Dr B L kaul Writes :

" In 2015 I dedicated my book
titled" Advances in Fish and Wildlife Ecology and Biology Vol.6" to
Master Samsar Chand Kaul Ornithologist. Master ji deserves all praise and respect
for his love of nature. The well known physician Dr. Nasir Ahmed Ex Principal
GMC Srinagar showed me a book " Birds of Kashmir " presented to him
by his revered teacher at CMS School Fateh kadal. He was all praise for Master
Ji. I wrote an article in Greater Kashmir in October 2010 titled" Feathers
are ruffled with winds of change in Kashmir" and mentioned Master Ji's
contribution in the field of Ornithology.”

I end this write up on Rainawari with english translation of the poem Bright are Thy tresses, brighten them even more from Baal-i-Jibreel composed by Allama Iqbal ( 1877-1938 ) .This beautiful translation is by Naeem Siddiqui.

Bright are Thy tresses, brighten them even more,And ravish my eyes, ravish my mind, ravish my heart and soul.That love should be concealed, and beauty should be veiled!Reveal Thyself to me, O Lord, or reveal me to myself.Thou art the eternal ocean; I am a rivulet.,Make me a part of Thee, O Lord, or make me fathomless.If I possess a pearl within, give it a starry lustre,But if I am a piece of brick, give it a diamond's sheen.If of spring I cannot sing as a bird of paradise,Make this half-enrapturcd soul a skylark of Thy spring.

PSMr surrinder Turki whom i did not know in Rainawari and who reports to belong to a family of Turkis living in karan Nagar has sent a mail to me on 12.01.2010 saying that he happens to be a direct descendent Of Pandit Taba Ram Turki. Nabi Hadi's book titled "Dictionary of Indo-Persian literature" specifically mentions name of this learned pandit at page 134. I have personally checked this aspect on the Internet version of this book as conveyed to me by Mr surrinder Turki. That is an addition to my knowledge .That is for all readers to share.